<p>why would somebody choose to attend say....USC which is in Los Angeles versus attending a University in a rural setting (i'm not sure I can even name one)</p>
<p>It depends on the person, really.</p>
<p>IMO, an urban university offers more opportunities both socially and academically. You'll have more options in terms of things to do on weekends, and more chances to score an internship, summer job, etc.</p>
<p>On the other hand, at a rural university, the campus life probably dominates. For example, small liberal arts colleges in the Northeast don't offer as much as city universities in terms of social outlets. You won't be able to pursue certain activities because they just won't be offered.</p>
<p>I was worried about going to a rural school because I feared I'd get creeped out by the school's dominance over its surroundings and that I wouldn't have much of an option to leave. I also worried that I wouldn't make friends so easily, so I wanted to go to a school with a decent city nearby, so that I could create my own social life (revolving around art museums, concerts, etc.) if campus life ended up not being my thing.</p>
<p>In my own experience in an urban setting, the city supplements but is not essential to my college life.</p>